Whirligig



E. C. HOUGH May 9, 1933.

WHIRLIGIG Filed'Feb. 25, 1932 2 Sheets-Sheet l INVENTOR li /werd 6. 6 4

ATTORNEYS May 9, 1933. E c HQUGH 1,907,815

WHIRLIGIG Filed Feb. 25-. 1932 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR ATTORNEYS Patented May 9, 1933 uarrso STATS PATENT OFFICE EDWARD 0. Homer, or PLY aonrn, axiom-sen, Assrsnoa TO nArsY MANUFACTUR- COMPANY, or PLYIvrourn,arionisan, coaronarron or ICHI A iWI-IIRLIGIG application} filed February 23, 1932. Serial No. 594,704.

This invention relates generally to toys and refers more particularly to whirl gigs.

One of the essential ob ects or the invention is to provide a Whirligig in which means.

for imparting rotation to the whirl memher is maintained in charged send: 1 ready for use and is automatically recharged after bein operated.

Another ob ect is to provide a Whirligig in which adjustable means-is provided for taking up slaclr or looseness 1n the means aforesaid so that said means will be proper charged position;

Another ob ect is to provide a hirligig in.

with the accompanying drawings, wherein:

Figure 1 is a side elevation of a Whirligig embodying my invention and showing the parts in position to be operated; V Figure lAis a view similar to Figure 1 and showingthe parts after they have been operated;

Figure 2 isa detailview of the Whirligig member;

Figure 3 is a top plan of the whirli-,

gig'projector; V J p Figure, 4 isa vertical sectional View through the construction illustrated in Figure 1 r v j i I Figure 5 is a vertical sectional View through the construction illustrated in Figure 1A; j t I Figure 6 is a detail View of the casing Wlth out the closures and grommet;

Figure 7is a detail View of one of the closures;

Figure 8 is a sectional view taken on the line 88 of Figure 1; V

Figure 9 is a sectional view taken on the 50 line 9-9 of Figure 1.

Referring now to the drawings, A is the casing B and C respectively are closures for opposite ends of the casing; D is the pro-f5 peller or projector; E and F respectively are propeller actuating means; and G 1 is the Whirligig member of a Whirligig embodying;-

my invention; g v I As shown, the casing A 1s tubular in form and is provided adjacent one end upon oppositesides of a longitudinal split 1 with registering semi-ciroular openings 2 and 3 respectivelyfor the reception of an eyelet or grommet 4. Preferably this eye-let has a r I channel-shaped periphery 4 that receives the;

edges of said openings 2 and 3 and may be initially inserted into said opening by move. if

ing itlongitudinally of the split ,1 from the adjacent end ofthe casing. before the closures ,1 B and C have been applied- I i The closures B and C are cup-shaped in I form and are sleeved upon the'ends-of the casing A.

la gs 7 instance, however, a circumferential groove" ;12 is provided in the casing forthelugs and 10 that slide to and from the openings 11, when the closure-is turned on the casing, as,

will be hereinafter more fully describedfl; I '1 The propeller Dis likewise cup-shapediand is' provided at the center thereof with a rela) 'tively long stem or shaft 13 that is journaled in the bases 14; and 15 ofthecup-shaped closures Band C. Preferably thebase 16 of I the propeller is 'providedat diametrically opposite points with oppositely inclined struck-out-lugs or prongs 17 and 18 respectively for engagement With the Whirligigmember G, as will be hereinafter more fully set forth, While the stem or shaft 131$ provided at the proper point? with a flattened.

or swaged portion 19 constituting an abutment for the closure B.

. The propeller actuating means Econsists Preferably the closure B has circular openings 5 and6 respectivelyiatvdia-f metrically opposite sides thereof that receive and 8 respectively pressed outwardly; from the casing, while the closure 'Ciis p ro-i vided with two sets 9 andlO respectively of diametrically opposed pressed lugs that are arranged equi-distantly apart and engage suitable openings ll in'the-casing. In this.

of a spool 20 fixed upon the shaft 13 just inside the closure B, anda flexible element such as a string 21 wound upon the spool and extending outwardly through the grommet 4. One end of the string 21 is fixed to the spool, while the other end is fixed to a tab or ring 22.

The means F comprises a coil spring 23 sleeved upon the shaft 13 within the casing A and having opposite end portions 24 and 25 respectively thereof offset and secured to the spool 20 and closure, 0. As shown, the end portion 24 extends longitudinally of the shaft13 through the center of the spool 20 and is bent over the outer end of the latter, while the end portion 25 is in the form of a laterally projecting eye that is sleeved upon a pin 26 secured to and projecting inwardly from the base 15 of the closure C in eccentric relation to the shaft-13.

The Whirligig member G is formed'from a single sheet of light gage metal and comprises a ring 27 a hub 28 and intermediate radially extendingblades (gr-vanes 29. Preferably the ring 27 is relatively narrow and is provided at one edge with alateral flange 30. The hub 28 is circular and is provided at the centerthereof with an outwardly'pro- Jecting concavo-convex portion 31. At dia metrically opposite sides ofithe portion 31 are elongatedslots 32 and 33 respectively for the reception of the struck-out lugs 17 and18-of the propeller, while atlthe'periphery of the hub 28 are a-number of inturnedQlugs' or flanges 34that collectively-define a ring for the re'ception' of the cup-shaped portion of the propeller D.

upon the tab 22 maybe grasped and pulled away from the casing. As a result the string 21' will be-unwound and the spool 20, shaft 13,? propeller D and Whirligig member G will be rotated rapidly. The inclinedvanes 29 will cause-the Whirligig member G to' rise andsoar throughthe air. If the toy is used indoors the central convex portion 31 will;

abut the ceiling and will spin thereon. After the momentum decreases the Whirligig member will drop to the floor. V

Durin -the unwinding of thestring thev closure to'whichrthe coil spring is secured is stationary, consequently the spring will be twisted by the spool 20 about the shaft 13'. and therebyplaced under tension. the tab 22 is released this spring 23 will then straighten out and in doing so will rewind the string on the spool to the original starting or charged position. After being used awhile the stringhas a tendency to stretch, consequently the spring will not return the tab to the eyelet 4c. To compensate'for this, however, the closure C may be given one or more quarter turns to the left on the lower end of the casing whereupon the spring will be tensioned and will cause the spool 20 and shaft 13 to turn accordingly with the result that the string will be fully wound upon the spool and the slack therein taken up.

What I claim as my invention is:

1 In a Whirligig, atubular casing splitlongitudinally and provided at opposite edges of the split with opposed openings, an eyelet in the openings, and closures for oppositeends of the casings holding the edges of the split together so that the eyelet will be held in the opposed openings.

2. In a Whirligig, a tubular casing, closures for opposite ends ofv the casing, one of said closures being rotatable relative to the casing, the said casing having a peripheral groove provided at spaced points with openings and the rotatable closure havingembossed portions movable in the groove and adapted to be received in the openings. I V

3. In a Whirligig, a rotary impeller including a shaft, and a substantially cupshaped 1 member opening toward the shaft and having the base of the cup fixed to said shaft one end thereof, said base being providedat its periphery with a rim or ridge and being provided inside said rim with a substantially flat depressed portion having struck-out lugs or tongues at substantially diametrically opposite points thereof for imparting rotary motion to a Whirligig member,'the free ends of said lugs or tongues being substantially in line with the rimor' ridge aforesaid.

4.; In a whirligig,,a rotary shaft provided" at spacedpoints longitudinally thereof with laterallyprojecting flattened 'portions, an.en

closure for one of said portions having; a" cover part betweensa d portions and con;-

stituting a bearing for the shaft, and actuating'me'ans for the shaft including two. mem bers arranged end to end on the shaft with? in the enclosure, one of said membersbei-ng actuable by a' cord extending through th'eenclosure and mounted upon and l held against movement relative to the shaft'by one.

of the flattened portions aforesaid,-saidmem Jber, also being constructedandarranged in such a way that it cooperates with one of the flattened portions aforesaid outsidethe enclosure for preventing relative longitudinal movement between the enclosure cover part andshaft. p

In testimony whereof I affix my signature.

EDWARDC. HoUGHg; 

